Programs urged to help pay rising electricity bills

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2000 | 10:52 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- State Consumer Advocate Tim Hay is recommending a system be established to help low-income families pay their rising electric bills.

Hay says essential electric services should "not place an undue economic burden on households," and he is suggesting the state Public Utilities Commission be authorized to set up programs such as lifeline rates and fixed affordability credits.

These recommendations were presented to Gov. Kenny Guinn's Energy Policy Committee last week and they will be voted on at a future meeting in January.

Hay said Wednesday he wants programs to help "ensure that the percentage of household income spent for energy services by lower income households does not exceed the percentage spent by higher income households."

He is also urging the state to explore the possibility of the state or local government ownership of power plants to be used during "peaking" times. These plants would be used to produce power only when needed to avoid erratic price increases, he said.

And he said there must be a reliable source of energy during what may be a lengthy national transition to fully competitive markets. He suggests the state might offer tax preferred industrial development bonds to help build power plants in return for a guarantee to supply electricity.